Top 32 Feature Match: Christopher Evans vs. Mark Johnson
Christopher Evans made it to the Top 32 with his fast-paced Infernity Deck, while Mark Johnson made it there with his slow-paced Quickdraw Dandywarrior Deck. Johnson likes to draw cards to increase his options, while Evans likes to burn through them to give his strongest cards their effects. Which strategy will prevail?
Johnson started things off by activating Foolish Burial and sending Dandylion from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens in Defense Position and then Normal Summoned Lonefire Blossom. He Tributed a Token with Lonefire’s effect and Special Summoned another copy of Lonefire Blossom from his Deck, in Defense Position. Then he activated that one’s effect to Tribute his other Fluff Token and Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias from his Deck in Attack Position. He Set 3 Spell or Trap Cards and ended his turn.
Evans opened up with Solemn Warning, Stygian Street Patrol, Torrential Tribute, Infernity Barrier, Dark Grepher, and Infernity Break. He Summoned Dark Grepher and then activated its effect by discarding Stygian Street Patrol from his hand. He sent Infernity Archfiend from his Deck to his Graveyard with Grepher’s effect. Next, Evans attacked Johnson’s Attack Position Lonefire Blossom with Dark Grepher, dropping Johnson down to 6800 Life Points. Evans Set his entire hand to his Spell and Trap Card Zone before passing.
Johnson Tributed Lonefire Blossom next turn to Special Summon Dandylion in Defense Position. Evans flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field, destroying his own Dark Grepher along with Johnson’s Dandylion and Tytannial. Dandylion Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens to the field when it hit the Graveyard. Next, Johnson activated Monster Reborn to try to Special Summon Tytannial from his Graveyard, but Evans negated it by activating Solemn Warning and giving up 2000 Life Points. Johnson ended his turn.
Evans drew and Summoned Plaguespreader Zombie next turn. He attacked 1 of Johnson’s 2 Fluff Tokens to destroy it before passing back to Johnson
Johnson activated Pot of Avarice next turn, sending 2 copies of Dandylion, 2 copies of Lonefire Blossom, and a Tytannial from his Graveyard to his Deck to draw 2 cards. Then he Tributed a Fluff Token to Normal Summon Quickdraw Synchron. Quickdraw Synchron attacked over Plaguespreader Zombie, dropping Evans to 5700 Life Points. Johnson Set a back row and ended his turn.
Evans drew Infernity Necromancer next turn! He Summoned it to the field and when Johnson chained Book of Moon to the effect that puts it in Defense Position, Evans activated Infernity Barrier! But Johnson chained Solemn Judgment and gave up half of his Life Points to negate the Infernity Barrier and make sure the Necromancer went face-down.
Johnson Set a Spell or Trap and then switched his Quickdraw Synchron to Defense Position. He ended his turn with no other play. Evans activated Infernity Break in his End Phase, removing Infernity Barrier from his Graveyard to destroy Johnson’s face-down Trap Stun.
Evans drew Monster Reborn next turn! He Set it and then flipped Infernity Necromancer into Attack Position. He activated its effect to Special Summon Infernity Archfiend from his Graveyard, and used his Archfiend’s effect to search his Deck for Infernity Avenger and add it to his hand. He Normal Summoned it, and Johnson flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field. But Evans had Monster Reborn face-down! He flipped it up and revived Infernity Archfiend! He searched his Deck for Infernity Launcher and added it to his hand. He activated it and sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon Infernity Necromancer and Infernity Avenger from his Graveyard. Then he Tuned his Avenger with his Archfiend to Synchro Summon Stygian Sergeants. Next, he activated his Necromancer’s effect to Special Summon Infernity Archfiend back from the Graveyard, and used its effect to search his Deck for another copy of Infernity Archfiend. Then he put the Archfiend on top of his Deck and Special Summoned Plaguespreader Zombie from his Graveyard. He Tuned Plaguespreader Zombie with Infernity Archfiend and Infernity Necromancer to Synchro Summon Mist Wurm, returning Johnson’s lone back row card to his hand. Mist Wurm and Stygian Sergeants attacked directly, wiping out Johnson’s remaining 3400 Life Points.
Christopher Evans wins the first Duel thanks to Monster Reborn!
Mark Johnson started off Duel 2 by Summoning Thunder King Rai-Oh and Setting 2 Spell or Trap Cards.
Evans opened up with Solemn Judgment, Trap Stun, Plaguespreader Zombie, Giant Trunade, Infernity Barrier, and Chain Disappearance. He Set Plaguespreader Zombie to his Monster Card Zone and the other 5 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone before ending his turn.
Johnson Summoned Lonefire Blossom next turn. He activated its effect and Tributed it to Special Summon another copy of Lonefire Blossom from his Deck. Then he Tributed that one with its effect to Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias in Attack Position. Johnson attacked Evans’s Set Plaguespreader Zombie with Tytannial to destroy it and then attacked directly with Thunder King Rai-Oh.
Evans drew Trap Stun next turn. He immediately conceded, unable to destroy any of Johnson’s cards, and the Match pressed on to a third Duel!
Evans opened up Duel 3 with Dark Grepher, Monster Reborn, Plaguespreader Zombie, Trap Stun, Foolish Burial, and Infernity Break. He Summoned Dark Grepher and activated its effect, discarding Plaguespreader Zombie from his hand to send Infernity Archfiend from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he Set 4 Spell or Trap Cards and ended his turn.
Johnson Set a monster along with 2 Spell or Trap Cards before passing.
Evans drew Infernity Archfiend next turn! With no other cards in his hand, he used its effect to Special Summon it in the Draw Phase, then activated its effect to search his Deck for Infernity Necromancer and add it to his hand. He activated Trap Stun and then Normal Summoned Infernity Necromancer. Infernity Necromancer shifted into Defense Position. Next, Evans activated Foolish Burial and sent Infernity Archfiend from his Deck to his Graveyard. He activated his Necromancer’s effect next, in order to try to Special Summon his Avenger from the Graveyard, but Johnson pitched D.D. Crow from his hand to remove the Avenger! Evans flipped Monster Reborn next, reviving his Infernity Archfiend. He used its effect to search his Deck for another copy of Infernity Archfiend and add it to his hand. Then he put the Archfiend from his hand on top of his Deck to Special Summon Plaguespreader Zombie from his Graveyard. Next, he Tuned Infernity Archfiend, Infernity Necromancer, and Plaguespreader Zombie together to Synchro Summon Mist Wurm and return all 3 of Johnson’s cards to his hand. Grepher, Archfiend, and Mist Wurm attacked directly, dropping Johnson down to 2000 Life Points.
Johnson drew to 6 cards in his hand. He Set a monster and 2 Spell or Trap Cards, just like he had set up on the previous turn, and then passed. In his End Phase, Johnson used Infernity Break to destroy Johnson’s face-down Solemn Judgment.
Evans drew Infernity Archfiend next turn and Special Summoned it! He activated its effect and Johnson flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field. Johnson’s Sangan and Evans’s Dark Grepher, Mist Wurm, and 2 copies of Infernity Archfiend were destroyed. Evans searched his Deck for Infernity Launcher to add to his hand with the Archfiend’s effect. Johnson took Effect Veiler from his Deck with the effect of Sangan. Evans activated the Launcher and sent it to the Graveyard to try to Special Summon 2 Archfiends from his Graveyard, but he lost one of his Archfiends to D.D. Crow and lost the other Archfiend’s effect to Effect Veiler! Evans attacked Johnson directly with his Infernity Archfiend, dropping him down to 200 Life Points.
Johnson Set a monster and passed.
Evans drew Infernity Barrier. He attacked Debris Dragon with his Archfiend, losing 200 Life Points, then Set Infernity Barrier.
Johnson Tributed Debris Dragon for Caius the Shadow Monarch next turn, and Evans negated its effect and destroyed the Caius with Infernity Barrier! Then Johnson Special Summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked over Evans’s Infernity Archfiend, sending it to the Graveyard.
Evans drew Infernity Mirage next turn, with no cards in his hand or on his field! He Summoned it and Tributed it to Special Summon Infernity Archfiend and Infernity Necromancer from his Graveyard. He used his Archfiend’s effect to grab a Barrier from his Deck and Set it. Then he rammed his Archfiend into Cyber Dragon so that the Archfiend would be destroyed, and Special Summoned the Archfiend back from his Graveyard with Infernity Necromancer to grab another Infernity Barrier from his Deck and Set it face-down.
Johnson attacked Infernity Necromancer with Cyber Dragon next turn to destroy it and then Set a monster face-down.
Evans activated Reinforcement of the Army next turn to search his Deck for Armageddon Knight and add it to his hand. He Summoned it to the field and used its effect to send Infernity Avenger from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he used it to attack Johnson’s Set Ryko and negated Ryko’s effect with Infernity Barrier.
Johnson attacked Infernity Archfiend with Cyber Dragon next turn, destroying it in battle and enabling Evans to Special Summon Infernity Avenger from his Graveyard in Attack Position as a Level 4 Tuner. Then Johnson Set a monster and ended his turn.
Evans drew Bottomless Trap Hole next turn. He Set it face-down and then Tuned his Avenger with his Knight to Synchro Summon Infernity Doom Dragon. He activated its effect to destroy Cyber Dragon, inflicting 1050 points of damage to Johnson’s Life Points. Johnson’s 200 Life Points weren’t enough for him to survive the effect!
Some great topdecks allow Evans to overcome Johnson’s anti-Infernity cards and advance to the Top 16 after a 2-1 victory over Quickdraw Dandywarrior!
Post-Event Analysis!
See what our panel of experts had to say about this Duel after the event was over.
Jason Grabher-Meyer (The Old Man of Dueling)
In Duel 2, Evans could’ve survived at least 1 more turn if he negated the Summon of Lonefire Blossom with Solemn Judgment. With Tytannial out of the picture, Johnson would’ve attacked to destroy Plaguespreader Zombie on Turn 2 while Evans kept his 4000 Life Points. Johnson would’ve needed another attacker with 2100 ATK or more to end the Duel on the following turn, which was highly unlikely. Even if Evans hadn’t used the Judgment, he could’ve played out the last turn. Thunder King and Tytannial were only going to lower him to 1400 Life Points, so a Mirror Force or Dark Hole might’ve still saved him.
Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Infernity Archfiend, Infernity Necromancer, Infernity Mirage, Infernity Launcher, and Monster Reborn can all be game-ending topdecks when you have the right monsters in the Graveyard. It may look like good fortune for Evans to have drawn Monster Reborn, Infernity Archfiend, and Infernity Mirage when he needed them, but topdecks like those are actually quite common for Infernity Decks. That’s what makes them so tough to play against.
P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Evans could have sealed the Match a few turns before he eventually did, but missed out on the opportunity. When Evans Summoned Armageddon Knight, he sent Infernity Avenger to the Graveyard, then attacked Johnson’s Set Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter and negated its effect with Infernity Barrier. If he had attacked into Cyber Dragon instead of Ryko with his Armageddon Knight, he would have been able to Summon Infernity Avenger from his Graveyard. Then, in Main Phase 2 he could Tune the (now Level 4) Avenger to his Level 4 Infernity Archfiend to Summon Infernity Doom Dragon, and use its effect to destroy Johnson’s Cyber Dragon and wipe out his Life Points. You should always be looking out for combos to finish off a Duel (or more importantly, a Match), because for every extra turn you give your opponent, they have an extra turn to potentially swing the Duel in their favor and take you down. While Evans was lucky enough to seal the Match this time, he may not get a second chance against other Duelists in the future.
